Lubricating device for safety razor



Nov. 26, 1968 J. w. ANDERSEN LUBRICATING DEVICE FOR SAFETY RAZOR Filed, July 29, 1966 INVENTOR am 144 A/VIEP5EW TTORNEY I BY United States Patent 3,412,465 LUBRICATING DEVICE FOR SAFETY RAZOR John W. Andersen, Evanston, Ill., assignor of ten percent each to Robert V. Jambor, Naperville, Ill., and Richard Pixler, La Grange, Ill.

Filed July 29, 1966, Ser. No. 568,931 1 Claim. (CI. 30-41) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A safety razor including a handle and a transverse head portion which includes a liquid retaining bulb secured to the handle having at least one resilient wall. A tube extends outwardly of the liquid retaining bulb terminating in an open end disposed in operative association with the edge of a razor blade adapted to distribute liquid onto the surface to be shaved.

This invention relates to a shaving device. More particularly it relates to a razor adapted to enable the user to reshave or touch-up a previously shaved area.

With the advent of the stainless steel blade for safety razors certain problems associated with the shaving process have been significantly magnified. One such problem is that of reshaving or touching-up a previously shaved area. As is well known, prior to shaving it is necessary to prepare the area to be shaved with a lather or other moistening solution. This preparatory step softens the beard and provides a lubricating film upon the skin to :allow the razor edge to glide easily over the shaving surface.

As the razor is stroked across the skin during shaving the moist film provided by the lather or other solution is almost entirely removed because of the squeegee action of the blade. This is especially true in instances where a stainless steel blade is used. The shaved surface almost instantaneously becomes dry and tacky. It is thereafter almost impossible to touch-up a shaved area by retracing the shaved path unless the skin is remoistened. Since it is often necessary to reshave an area to remove undesirable stubble, the ability to touch-up a shaved area is an important aspect of the shaving process.

Accordingly, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved form of shaving device.

It is another object to provide an improved form of shaving device which enables the user to quickly and easily treat a shaved area for purposes of reshaving or touching-up the shaved surface.

These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the specification with reference to the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a frontal elevational view, partly in section of a shaving device illustrating various of the features of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the apparatus of FIGURE 1 showing other features of the invention.

FIGURES 4 and 5 are views illustrating slightly modified forms of the invention.

Very generally, the invention relates to a shaving device which allows the user to quickly remoisten a shaved area so that the shaved area may again be contacted with a razor edge for reshaving without injury or irritation to the skin.

Referring particularly to FIGURE 1 there is shown a shaving instrument of the injector type generally designated 11. The instrument 11 includes a handle portion 13, and a transverse shaving head 15.

3,412,465 Patented Nov. 26, 1968 The transverse shaving head 15 includes a blade supporting plate 17 and a blade clamp 19, between which is disposed a single edged razor blade 21. The blade 21 is retained in its operative position by the plate 17 and clamp 19 and includes a shaving edge 23. A guide flange 25 is formed on the blade support plate adjacent to the blade edge and extends generally perpendicularly to the blade in a direction toward the handle portion 13. This flange is provided to all-ow the user to place the shaving head against the surface to be shaved and guide the razor edge across that surface.

In the illustrated embodiment, and as best shown in FIGURE .2, an adjustment arrangement 27 is provided which allows the user to adjust the blade position to effect the most efficient relationship between the blade edge 23 and guide flange 25.

The handle portion 13 includes a pair of parallel gripping surfaces 29, which enable the user to grasp the shaving instrument for use. As best seen in FIGURE 2, one gripping surface 29 is provided with :an inwardly directed pocket 31. Intermediate the gripping surfaces 29, there is provided a longitudinally extending passage 33 which extends outwardly of the handle portion adjacent the connection of the handle .portion with the shaving head 15.

In accordance with the present invention, there is pro vided a liquid retaining bulb 35 secured to the handle portion 13 within the pocket 31. As best shown in FIGURE 3, the bulb includes :a connecting plate 37, which is secured to the handle portion by any suitable means such as bonding or other suitable adhesive. The remainder of the bulb is formed by a resilient wall 39 secured to the contacting plate 37 in liquid tight relation and defining a fluid retaining chamber 41.

It should be noted that the bulb 35 may be made entirely of resilient material such as rubber or plastic with the plate 37 integrally formed with the wall 39.

A hollow tube 43 extends outwardly of the bulb 35 and includes a portion extending through the passage 33. The tube 43 includes an open liquid receiving end exposed to the chamber 41 :and an open dispensing end 47 disposed in spaced relation to the razor blade 21. The tube is secured to the resilient wall 39 at the point where it enters the chamber 41 in liquid tight relation.

The liquid dispensing end 47 is formed obliquely to the longitudinal axis of the tube. It is formed such that when the razor edge 23 is in operative position with respect to the surface to be shaved, the liquid dispensing end 47 is parallel to and adjacent the shaving surface, for reasons as will become apparent shortly.

To utilize the improved shaving device 11 the bulb 35 is first filled with a suitable lubricating or moisturizing solution. The bulb is filled by depressing the resilient wall 39, placing the open end 47 of the tube 43 into the solution to be used and releasing the wall 39. The solution used may be water, a wetting agent, a lotion, or any solution which would provide a lubricating film upon the shaved surface to enable the user to reshave that area.

During shaving, when it becomes necessary to reshave or touch-up an area the user merely squeezes the resilient wall 39 to dispense a quantity of lubricating solution from the bulb 35. It is important to note, that the surface to be shaved is initially treated with a lather solution and use of the liquid contained in the bulb'35 re-establishes the lubricating film to :allow reshaving of an area pre- 0 .viously dried by the squeeze action of the razor edge. As

the same position during this operation and once the shaving surface is relubricated it may be reshaved easily and safely.

Referring now to FIGURES 4 and 5, there are shown slightly alternate forms of the invention. As can be appreciated, the device shown in FIGURES 1 to 3 is a complete shaving instrument. However, there are in existence many forms of shaving devices which utilize razor blades which are not provided with the invention shown and described. As illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5 these shaving devices may be converted for use in the practice of the present invention.

Referring to FIGURE 4 there is shown a bulb 350 which includes a connecting plate 37a to which is secured :a resilient wall 39a to define a hollow fluid retaining chamber. There is provided a hollow tube 43a (a portion of which is shown) which is appropriately shaped to dispense a lubricating fluid onto a surface to be shaved in immediate proximity to a razor edge.

A resilient band 49 is secured to the connecting plate 37a. This resilient band may be expanded and the bulb 35a positioned onto the handle portion of any shaving device.

As shown in FIGURE 5, a pair of bulbs similar to the bulb 35a may be connected to the handle of a double edged safety razor such as the razor 51 so that the lubricating arrangement may be associated with each working edge of the razor blade.

In the illustrated embodiment of FIGURE 5 a connecting plate 37a is formed slightly concave so that it may more readily conform to the cylindrical handle portion of the razor.

From the above it can be readily appreciated that an improved form of shaving device has been provided which enables a user to quickly and safely reshave or touch-up an already shaved area.

Various of the features of the present invention have been particularly shown and described, however, it is obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art that numerous modifications may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A shaving device comprising a handle portion including a pair of spaced apart parallel gripping surfaces and defining a pocket open at one of said surfaces, said handle portion further defining a passage extending generally longitudinally of said handle .portion intermediate said gripping surfaces, said passage having an open end in communication with said pocket and an open end longitudinally spaced from said pocket, said device further including a transverse head portion connected to said handle portion adjacent said open end of said passage spaced from said pocket, said head portion including a razor blade having at least one edge, a liquid retaining bulb disposed within said pocket including at least one resilient wall exposed at said gripping surface defining said pocket opening, means securing said bulb to said handle portion, said bulb defining a hollow fluid receiving chamber, a hollow tube extending through said passage in said handle portion secured to said bulb in liquid tight relation, said tube including an open fluid receiving end disposed in fluid communication with said fluid receiving chamber and an open, liquid dispensing end disposed externally of said chamber, said liquid dispensing end being positioned such that a quantity of liquid may be dispensed from said bulb by compression thereof through said tube onto a surface to be shaved while said razor is held in a shaving position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,335,840 4/1920 Kaylor 30-41 1,899,841 2/1933 Acken 30-41 2,686,361 8/1954 Resnick et al. 30-41 2,743,732 5/1956 Lovasz 30-41 X 2,747,273 5/1956 Olsson 30-41 2,790,234 4/1957 Goldstein 30-41 3,139,683 7/1964 Waldman 30-41 3,176,391 4/l965 Resnick et al. 30-41 MYRON C. KRUSE, Primary Examiner. 

